For Gay Pride Month, Billboard asked numerous pop culture luminaries to write 'love letters' to the LGBTQ community. Below, iconoclastic artist and gay rights advocate Sia shares hers. Read more Pride Month love letters here.
I remember the day someone forwarded me a video set to my song "breathe me" of a thirteen year old boy called Jonah Mowry. He was detailing his internal landscape as a young gay male in the world, and how depressed he was. I have been blessed to be surrounded by the queer community, in New York, in LA, where there is far more acceptance and positive self image, and so seeing him struggle was an important moment for me as a "human with the privilege of a platform". In that moment I decided to dedicate myself to the queer community in a more meaningful way. I am so very grateful for my queer community and would have withered away long ago without them. Specifically my manager David, who has held my hand now for 12 years, through light and dark. He recently came out publicly as HIV positive, and the transformation of his shame into self acceptance has been magic to watch. I am so happy and proud of him. I can without question say I wouldn't have made it without my queer friends, both personally and professionally, and I am forever grateful to God for creating them in all their glory.
